Linotype-machine.



PATBTED MAY 5, 1908.

A. DOW. LINOTYPE MAHNE.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 28. 1907.

` No. 886,585. PATENTED MAY 5. 1908.

A. DQW. LINOTYPB MACHINE.

APPLIATION ILED JUNE 28. 1907.

4 Simms-SHEET 2.

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4 SHEETS-SHEET 3y y mov/Q vN5. 885,585. r PATENTED MAY 5, 1905.

. y A..D0W. f LINOTY AGHI'N APPL'IUATION JUNE 2s.

Lsuivra-'SHEET 4.

L CXANDER DOW, OF NEW YORK. N. Y.,

SSIGN O It TO ML'RGEN THALE' LINOT YPF) CGMPANY,

No. 886,585. Specification oi Application filed June 28,

To all '2U/7mm it lmay concern: Be it known that I, Arr You York city, coimty c State. ci" New York, have invente useful Improven'ient in l] i oT which the following is a spe Thisinvention relates'to mechanism for distributing matrices to their appropriate channels in a magazinev or holder.

It is intendedniore particuiariy for use in linotype machines, but is applicable where eyer matrices, dies or 'type ci suihcient size are to ben assorted or distriinited.

My distributor reseinldes in ap earance that described in the lT S. patents ot Ottmar Mergenthaler, N 529 and 436,531, the. matrices being pi l in their upper ends With distributing-f tions, whereby they f re suspended from vthe lower edge ot a di utenbar having longitudinal teeth in x :tous combinations, so that ea .h matrix is sustained until itA arrives over its a )propriete channel, and then released by the disengagemnt of all its teeth so that it may iall to its place in the magazine.

In the hiergenthaler distributor, each inatrix was provided in opposite sides of thev notch in its upper erithwith two lise combi nations of teeth, or in other Words, the teeth were symmetrically arranged and the opposing combinations on opposite sides of the distributer-bar were also symmetrical.

In commercial machines, it is impracticable to` reduce the distributer-teeth below a certain size, and 'it is necessary to allow a certa-in clearance between the teeth of the distributer and those oi' the matrices. For these reasons it Was necessary to make the distributerlbars and the mattie-estoi the Mergenthaler machines'oi larger size than Was desired. One of the principal aims of my invention is to so arrange the distributing-'teeth that a small number oi large teeth may be arranged in a limited s ace Withoutv decasing the number of com inations.

To this end it consists broadly in a distribu ter having o posed unsymmetrical combinations of teet i, that is to say, lcombinations Which are unlike or dissimilar as to the number or relations of the teeth, or both. In other words, I differentiate the opposing combinations of teeth both in the matrices and on the distributer-bar. In this manner I am enabled to secure, by a small number of Letters i3-attent.

i in various combina;

Patented. i.' l 5, 1908.

"-idinal 'teeth on thev bar, the saine re- :t are obtained by double the number ,in `the 'ergenthaler system. v

s ot' my invention resides in l eculiar v ancing the matrices along the screws being so inclined and so ar'anged in relation tothe matrices that 't ie bthread of a single screw on each side will herir upon'the matrix for the greater portion ci iso that it is unnecessary to h/Iergenthaler machines, two ing the up er end of the i third screvvor feeding the l My invention also embrace. .met vices for-delivering the matrices a downu Ward instead of an upward direction vbetween as in the the feed-screws pre aratory to their transitar to thedistributingar.

My invention also includes rangement of pairs of distributingecren's at different levels in such manner as to admit of' several magazines being brought together in close order.

As my improvements are a plicable not 3c only to Mergenthaler machines ut'to analogous typographie machines, I yhaverestricted the drawingsto those parts Which are imme diately associated with vthe distribution of the matrices. being foreign to the invention, may be of any ordinary or suitable construction.

In the dra\vings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a distributerebar constructed in accordance Withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a 90 cross-section of the saine on the line 2 2, Figs. 1, 3 and 4. Fiss. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the receiving end of the distribu ter-bar as viewed from. opposite. sides. Figs. 5, 6, 7, R, on the correspondingly numbered lines of the preceding figures. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical section through the lower receiving end oiv the distributor' and magazine. Fig.

13 is a vertical section on the line 13-13 of 100 Fig. 12, three magazines being shownv side by side. Fig. 14'is a cross-section on the correspondingly numbered-lines of Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 15 is a longitudinal vertical section through theupper end of the dis 105 tributer and magazine. Fig. 16 is an end elevation of the parts shown in the preceding figurer Figs. 17, 18, 19, 20and 2 1 are cross` sections onan enlarged scale through the distributor andv adjacent screws, illustrating 11C gement oi screws for ad, 60

bar, the

its length, 65

.red dc- We speciai ar All other parts of the machine 85 9, 10 and. 11 are cross-sections 95 matrices are susy nection with a single magazine.

Referring tothe drawings, A represents a portion of the main-frame, which may be o i any design and construction desired, provided it is adapted to sustain the operative parts.

B, B', &c., represent the stationary distributer-bars having an. upward inclinationl from theirreceiving end C, C', Sac., represent the carrier-screws arranged in pairs along opposite sides of the, distributer-bars and mounted at their ends in the main-frame.

l D, D', &c., represent carrier-belts by which the matrices are elevated at deliyery one after another through curved channels or guides E, E', &c., in a downward direction between the carrier-screws. y

F, F', &c., are friction-plates underlying the receiving ends of the feed-screws l'or the purpose of receiving and sustaining the inatrices as they are delivered from the. belt, and maintaining them in position between the screws so that they may be advanced thereby toward the distrilmter-bar. The screws and the plates F a rc extended beyond the receiving end of the. distributer-bar, as shown, and the plates F are urged upward by underlying springs (i.

H, H', &c., are plates li.\jed in position over the receiving ends of the screws and over the plate F. The plate ll is shorter than the underlying plate F, and the incoming matrices fall past the plate Il and upon the plate F whereon they are supported between the threads of the screws. l`he screws are constantly driven and serve to carry the matrices forward in upright positions between the plates H and F, which bear wit'hlight l'rietional eii'ect on the upper and lower ends ol' the matrices. 'l`hc matrices thus held and guided, are carried l'orward by the screws until they successively" engage the teeth of the distributer-bar, from which they are snspended after passing beyond the plate l".

The distributor-bar is o'll V-'l'orm4 at its lower edge, and is provided with longitudinal teeth adapted toA engage corresponding` teel h in the upper end ot' the matrices which are notched or recessed to straddle the bar, the construction and operation ol the parts in this respect being analogous to those in the well known Mergenthaler system.

I, I', &e., re resent channeled throats or entrances liXe in position below the distributer-bar, the channels being spaced to I the matrices, so thatthe falling matrices will enter the respective channels.

J, J', &c., represent the vertically channeled magazines removablyl seated in the machine beneath the throats'l, I', &c., with their channels in position to receive the falling matrices. g l

The distributer-bar has its longitudinal distributing teeth l) divided into short groups or combinations each diiiering from the others as to the number or relative arrangement of then teeth, or both, and the matrices containing the different characters have their teeth permuted or arranged to correspond, so that each matrix, carried along the bar, will be held in suspension by the teeth until it arrives over the approiriate channel l in the magazine, when, for the hrs-t time, all oi the matrix teeth will disengage from the bar and the matrix be ierrnit'find totali.

In the Mergenthaier distribnter, each group'or combination of teeth"b is symmetrical; or in other words, it consists of a given combination duplicated on opposite sides of the bar, one side of the bar bemg a counterpart of the -otherlA The matrices alie course constructed with symmetrical combinations of teeth. It follows, as a consequence, that the nirnber of combinations allowable on the oar are those which may be obtained on either side. In order, therefore, to obtain the requisite combinations, it is customary in the Mergenthaler machine to provide the distri buter-bar with seven teeth on each side, and in order 4to admit oi' these teeth being made of a practical size and of the requisite :learance being given them in the matrices, both the bar and the matrices must be made. ol relatively large'size. My construction ditl'ers from that oi" Mergenthaler in that l use the bar symmetrical combinations of teeth. ln other words, I use onone side ol" the bar one series ol' combinations, and on the opposite side a dill'erent seriesoi' combinations, so that at most points the bar will present in'crosssection unlike l'orms on opposite sides, as shown for example in Figs. 2, (i, 7, il, l() and ll.

'lhe matrices l have a V-shaped notch in their upper ends with teeth in its two edges, so that'they may straddle the lower edge ot the bar and their teeth engage those of the bar, as shown in the various ligures. rlhc matrices, or most ot' them, are also made with, unsynunetrieal Icombinations of teeth and a central notch t." in the upper end `below the lowermost' teeth.

'lhe distribut er-bar is provided with a central unbroken rib b' along the lower edge and below theI h)Werlnostfteeth to enter the notch in the matriies, and this for the purpose of guiding them and maintaining them in the with opposing unsacher vertical position when -llzfeugage while those on the are still in engagement.

The combinations of teeth on the har and in the matrices' are so related that as each matrix is carried along the' bar, the individual teeth oiP the matrices on either or both sides may be disengaged and rengaged.

rthe rengagement 1s such, however, that the. matrix is continually sustained from one or both sides by one or more teeth on either or both sides, until it arrives at the point where it is to be released, when, for the first time, all ot' the teeth on both sides will be disengaged.

It will be observed that by using opposed combinations which are unlike but which coo erate in sustaining the matrices, l am enabled to secure a very large variety oi' combinations in the length of the bar while using a small number of teeth on` each side. O viously the number of combinations possible is very much greater than 'it would be if they were alike on o posite sides of the bar. lt is this fact whic ermits the use ot' a small number of teetli and which conseopposite side quently permits the teeth in the allowable space to be made much larger than otherwise.

The combinations shown in the drawings are merely illustrative of my princi le of construction. They may be variedp and increased in number to any extent. As their develo ment is a mere matter of mathematics wit iin the limits of technical skill, it will he deemed unnecessary to describe them turther herein.

lt will of course be understood that a limited number of the matrices may have symmetrical combinations of teeth provided to cooperate with unsymmetrical combinations on the har j, and also that symmetrical combinations on the bar may cooperate with unsymmetrical combinations in the matrices. In a great majority of the combinations, however, they must be unsymmetrical as to both the bar and the matrices.

lt is frequently desirable to adapt a machine to carry two, three or more sets or fonts of matrices, and for this purpose l propose to use, as shown in the drawings, a number ot parallel magazines, preferably in a vertical position, a distributer and pair of Jfeedscrews being arranged overeach magazine..

ln order to permit the magazines to be arranged near one another to keep the machine within reasonable size without causing interference between the ditl'erent distributerscrews, l adopt the arrangement shown in Figs. 12 13, 15 and 16, the alternate or successive magazines having their upper ends terminated at different heights so that the distributer and feed-screws of one maga-zine may be set above those of the adjoining magazine in oi der that the feed-screws of one the teeth on one side pair. may overlap or lie above those of the adjoining pair. lt will be observed that this admits of the parts being brought together in a very compact arrangement without causing interference.'

The pulleys L which carry the feed-belts D, may all be mounted on a common shaft M, but the throats it, FJ, through which the matrices are delivered, will `be continued downward as the levels of the respective distributers may demand.

Reference has already been made to the fact that the distributer-bars and the feedscrews have an upward inclination from the receiving end; the inclination is such that the faces oi' the threads which act upon the matrices will stand in vertical planes. By using for each distributer two screws only, and by giving their threads a great depth and arranging the scre'wswithl their axes in a horizontal plane assing of the matrices, lpgive the screws a broad or extended bearing on the matrices, so that they are carried forward positively along the distributer-bar with littleor no tendency to vibrate or chatter as they )ass from one combination of teeth to anot er.

through the middle On reference to Fig. 13, it will be seen that the screws engage the matrices for the greater part of their length, or in other words, that they act upon both the upper and lower ends of the matrices. This arrangement, which I believe to be new, avoids the necessity for the third or bottom screw, which is necessary in the Mergenthaler machines, because the upper screws act only on the upper .ends of the matrices.

While it is not necessary, l prefer to bevel or undercut the faces of the threads which act against the matrices, as shown in Fig. 14. in other words, l. make the threads concave on their active faces. This not only reduces the extent of the bearing surface and the friction u on the matrices, but admits of the matrices edging more firmly against them as'they are being advanced.

lVhile l prefer to make use of the screws, it will of course be understood that any other suitable means may be employed for carrying the matrices along the distributer-bar. lt willfalso be understood that the number of teeth used on the distributer-bar and in the matrices, and thesectional forni ot these teeth, may be modiiied at will, provided only they are adapted to properly sustain and rclease the matrices'l i i The 'feed-screws may be driven in any suitable manner. in the drawings, l provide one pair of screws with intermeshing pinions c and c', the latter being in turn actuated'by the inion c2 on a common axis with the spira gear c3, which receives motion from the spiral pinion c4 on a driving shaft c5. The lpinion c in like manner receives motiony through pinion c from the pinion c7 on a comsides with dissimilar coinbinations o mon axis with a spiral gear cs, which also receives motion through a spiral pinion cf on the shaftl (J5-before mentioned. The pinion c7 will serve also'to communicate motion to a pinion on a second pair of screws, and this arrangement may be repeated throughout the system.

By the expressions unsyininetrical combinations, iunsyrnmetrical arrangements, and the like, used herein, is meant combinations which diff er as to the number of teeth therein, or as tothe relative positions of the teeth, or both. I

The matrices herein shown will form the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, and are not claimed as a part of the present invention.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A distribute'r having longitudinal teeth arranged in opposing dissimilar combina` tions.

2. A distributer-bar having opposed unlike combinationsof teeth.

3. A distributer-bar having two dissimilar' series of longitudinal teeth, in combination with matrices each having dissimilar arrangements of teeth. 4, A distributer-bar provided on op v)osite sides with unlike combinations of teetli and with a longitudinalrib below all the teeth, in combination withumatrices having their upper ends notched to embrace said rib, and provided with unlike combinations-of t'eeth, substantially as described. f i

5. A distributer-bar provided on o posite fp teeth,

and also provided with means to prevent the piatrices from swaying transversely of the 6. In a distributing mechanism, an' iiielmed longitudinally toothed distributer.

anism, having threads undercut or concave on one side, substantially as described.v

9. In a distributing mechanism7 the coinbination of a distributer-bar adapted to sustain and carry the matrices, and twoop posed l feed-screws extended beyond the bar, means for delivering the matrices in a downward direction between the. threads of the screws, means for sustaining the matrices between .the screws during their advance toward the bar, and means for applying friction to the matrices during such advance.

12. In a distributing mechanism, the, coinbination of the distributer, feed-screws eX- teiided beyond the bar, means for iilelivering the matrices between the threads of the screws, an underlying )late F to sustain` the matrices, and an overllyiug plate II to act upon their upper ends.

13. In a distributing mechanism, the combination of the distributeiebar, the feedscrews extended beyond the bar, ineens for delivering thel matrices between the threads of the screws, an. overlying plate H. and an underlying spring-sup ported plate F; whereby the matrices are .sustained and guided steadily to the distributing-bar.

14. The combination of a distributer-bai,` the feed-screws extending beyond the. bar, means for sustaining the inatricesvbetween the screws and for exerting a frictional resistance upon them during their advance to the bar. y

15. The combination of a distributenbar, adjacent screws for delivering the matrices to the bar, and friction devices to resist and guide the matrices during their advance.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of June, 1907, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

ALEXANDER DOW. I''vitnesses: f

G. W. Bini), FRANK (l. Jonas. 

